Manchester Derby: Man Utd, Man City battle for supremacy at Old Trafford
by Moronfolu Adeyemi · The Eagle OnlineManchester United and Manchester City will renew their fierce rivalry at Old Trafford on Sunday as both sides battle for supremacy in the 199th Manchester Derby.
The Premier League clash is scheduled for 4:30pm WAT, with City arriving in strong form after winning their opening three league matches and recording a 2-0 Champions League victory over Porto in midweek.
United, meanwhile, have four points from their first three league games but head into the derby with renewed confidence after thrashing Azerbaijan’s Sabah FK 4-0 in the Champions League on Thursday.
The fixture will also mark the first Premier League derby between United manager Michael Carrick and City boss Enzo Maresca.
Carrick, who enjoyed a successful playing career at United before moving into coaching, will look to exploit transition play, while Maresca is expected to rely on City’s possession-based approach and structured positional play.
City’s perfect league start has placed them among the early pace-setters, with the club one of only two sides yet to drop points in the Premier League this season.
Maresca’s team have beaten Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry City before extending their winning run to four matches with their European victory over Porto.
United’s start has been less consistent.
They suffered defeat to newly promoted Hull City on the opening weekend, responded by thrashing Ipswich Town and then drew with Everton.
However, their emphatic European victory over Sabah provides Carrick’s side with momentum ahead of the derby.
The two clubs also have contrasting recent records in the fixture.
United secured a 2-0 victory over City at Old Trafford on January 17, 2026, with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu scoring the goals.
Historically, United hold the advantage in the rivalry, having won 81 of the previous 198 meetings across all competitions, compared with City’s 62 victories, while 55 encounters ended in draws.
The derby has produced several memorable encounters, including City’s 6-3 victory in 2022, when Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored hat-tricks, and United’s 5-0 triumph in 1994, when Andrei Kanchelskis scored three times.
Wayne Rooney’s spectacular overhead kick also secured a memorable 1-0 United victory in 2011, while Michael Owen scored a stoppage-time winner in a dramatic 2009 meeting.
Also Read
- Milan set to reward Chukwueze with new deal after impressive start
- Manchester Derby: Man Utd, Man City battle for supremacy at Old Trafford
- Rybakina stuns Sabalenka to win first US Open title
- Raya hailed as ‘best in Premier League’ after Arsenal win
- Madrid loanee breaks Messi’s record with historic Serie A hat-trick
Both managers will also have key selection issues to consider.
United are dealing with injuries to players including Amad Diallo, Matthijs De Ligt and Manuel Ugarte, while Benjamin Šeško is pushing for a prominent role after scoring twice this season.
City expect Nico O’Reilly to return from a minor back injury, although Jérémy Doku remains sidelined with a calf problem.
New signings Enzo Fernández and Elliot Anderson are also in contention for midfield roles.
With points and pride at stake, Old Trafford will host another chapter in one of English football’s fiercest rivalries as United seek to build on their European victory and City aim to maintain their perfect start to the league season.
[wpadcenter_ad id='745970' align='none']